Poll Alf02

Waupaca County Republican

July 22, 1887

A Close Call

Alf Poll fortunately happened to be at home about nine o’clock Saturday morning or Waupaca might have experienced a conflagration such as we lately read of. He passed through his back summer kitchen toward the barn, and in a minute returned and the rafters and roof boards together with the immense hot air wave that was passing over the city seemed to mingle in a sheet of flame at that particular spot. For about ten minutes Alf hardly stopped to breathe, but just dashed on the water, several buckets happening to be standing with some in, and Mrs. Poll made lively work pumping more. The fire gained considerable headway through the roof and was making for the main part but the efforts of the above parties put it out. Had they got scared and waited to give an alarm, or had the fire had three minutes the start of them, nothing would have saved the house or lumber yard and planing mill of Nelson Bros. as the wind was blowing its hot 104 degree breath right that way at a rapid rate. Of course “like to never killed anybody,” but here is a case in point. A stove pipe through a roof near dry shingles. A fire started and but for its timely discovery might have swept the town. To be sure we have a steamer, that will throw two or three streams. That might do some good, it might save the city, but how much more effective if we could empty as it were, the Waupaca river upon our buildings, if necessary. And it could practically be done by a Mount Tom reservoir and pipe system. We may not get it this year or next, but the subject should not be lost sight of. This whole city could almost laugh at a drouth for gardens, lawn and other uses for water if we had such a system of water works. Most every city of any pretension whatever, and some small villages are looking into the feasibility or putting in a system of water works.